May 18, 2017, 11:26:31 am

This guide is up to date for patch 6.0a

There are plenty of great things you can do with weapons bar and hotbar. In this guide I'll try to explain most of the settings that are at our disposal.1. Basics about the weapons barSpoiler (click to show/hide)

You can drag and drop weapons in it, even have a onehanded melee weapon and a shield in the same slot. Each slot can be linked to one skill/spell by drag and dropping the skill/spell onto the slot.Whenever you select that weapons bar slot this skill/spell will be automatically selected too.If you want to reset the skill/spell you have to remove the whole weapon from the slot and drag it back in. In the bottom right corner of each slot you'll find a button with which you can select to which hotbar the game should switch when you activate that slot. The "--" option means that the game won't switch away from the current hotbar. You can see it in picture 1.

The game has 10 hotbars, which consist of 10 multi-slots. Those multi-slots can be expanded by moving your mouse over them and you'll see one multi-slot consists of 5 slots.In picture 2 you can see hotbar 3 with its 10 multi-slots filled with different spells and multi-slot 7 is shown in full with 3 out of the 5 slots filled with spells.To move a skill or spell into a hotbar slot simply open your spells or skills window and drag and drop any of the items there into the slot. Only skills that can be actively used can be dragged in. For example PowerHour can be dragged into a hotbar slot, Crafting skills like Alchemy can't.

There can be 4 arrows found at the top of the hotbar. The two top arrows next to the number, which indicates at what hotbar you are right now, are scrolling through the 10 hotbars. You will hardly ever need those. The two arrows below those, next to multi-slot 1 are to expand the hotbar window, so all 10 hotbars are shown at once. Picture 3 shows how an expanded hotbar window looks like.

picture 2 - hotbar slot optionsSpoiler (click to show/hide)

3. How to access options for a hotbar slot?Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Move your mouse over the hotbar slot and you'll notice a button on the bottom right of the corner. Click it and you access the options. You'll notice that every slot in a multi-slot has this. The first slot in a multi-slot has a few additional options though. In the first slot you can choose the selection mode for the multi-slot and bind a button for this multi-slot. I'll come to that later. You can see the options in picture 2.

4. How to bind a key to a hotbar slot or weapon slot?Spoiler (click to show/hide)

You can bind keys to hotbar slots so you can select those without being on their hotbar.There is currently two ways you can do this ingame. The more direct one is by accessing the hotbar slot option as mentioned above and left clicking on the gray button on the bottom. if the multi-hotbar slot is not bound to any button it says (unbound) otherwise it shows the button it is currently bound to. In picture 2 you can see that the Hotbar with my Fireball in it is bound to W (I'm using ESDF for movement)

The second way you can bind multi-hot bar slots to keys is via Esc-> Options -> Input Bindings -> Gui Tab. There you'll find lots of lines saying "Gui Hotbar Col x Row y". You can see the menu in picture 3. The hotbars are the columns and the multi-slots are the rows. This is easy to see when you expand your hotbar window (see the basics part of the guide how to expand it).

The weapons bar slots can also be bound in the Gui tab. You can find it under "Gui Weaponsbar Col x", where x goes from 1-6.

5. How to select a weapon and a skill/spell with the press of only one button? Spoiler (click to show/hide)

All you have to do is link a weapons bar slot to a hotbar slot. How do you do this?1. drag and drop your weapon of choice into the weapons bar.2. drag and drop that slot onto a hotbar slot.Now they are linked. You can link one weapons bar slot to as many different hotbar slots as you want. In picture 2 you can see that the fireball and darkscepter are linked.Whenever the hotbar slot with the fireball is selected it automatically selects the staff from weapons bar slot 3 too.The advantage of linking the weaponsbar slot to hotbar slots is how easy it is to link a completely new weapon to all those spells.For example if you have all your spells linked to your staff slot and decide you don't want the slow casting darkscepter to cast your spells, but rather a fast casting blackbolt, all you have to do is switch out the darkscepter for a blackbolt in the weaponsbar slot.

You can also link a weapon to a skill/spell but then only that kind of weapon is linked to it. If you don't have that particular weapon in your inventory and you press the key for the hotbar slot, you will only select the skill/spell but no weapon change will happen. If you have a weapon equipped that can't execute the selected skill/spell then you won't even select it and nothing happens when you press the button.

Note: There is a bug in the game when you have an skill and a weapon linked that can't work with each other, like a melee weapon and a spell or even Greatsword Whirlwind with Daggers. If you press the key then the skill/spell will be removed from the hotbar slot and only the link to the weapon or weapon slot remains. so check that you're not doing that.

6. Hotbar options explained Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Auto castStarts executing the skill/spell with the push of the key. You don't have to left click to start it. It's very useful for spells you don't have to aim like heal self and transfers, but it's also useful for melee skills where you have to react quickly as it saves time. Some players even use it for spells you have to aim and then press the left mouse button while it's casting to hold the spell.It is a good way to speed up the execution as it skips the left clicking but always remember there is no way to cancel a once started skill/spell.

Revert to previous WeaponThis one might be interesting to UW players who are used to being able to cast transfers with any weapon. It's best used in combination with a skill/spell linked to a staff and autocast on. Let's say you have a transfer spell set up with this option and linked to a staff. You have your bow out press the key for the transfer, it automatically switches to the staff casts the transfer and then switches back to the bow all with one press of a single key.

Switch to this hotbarHotbar in this context means one of the columns in the hotbar window. So as it says it switches to the hotbar that hotbar slot is in. Using this Option only makes sense when you also bind a key to this slot.It's mutually exclusive with "Switch to weapons bar hotbar.

Switch to weapons bar hotbarAs explained in "1.Basics about weapons bars" you can tell a weapons bar slot to switch to a hotbar when selected. With this option you will switch to the hotbar selected there instead of to the hotbar that skill/spell is in.Using this Option only makes sense when you also bind a key to this slot.It's mutually exclusive with "Switch to this hotbar.

7. What's the difference between the selection modes for a hotbar multi-slotSpoiler (click to show/hide)

When you go to options in the first slot of a hotbar multi-slot (see picture 2.) you will be able to choose between 3 different types

Multi-tap modeIn this mode you have a timer after each key press. If you do not press another key during that timer, the skill gets selected.Tap multiple times to get the desired slot in the multi slot. Once the selection process is done, the offset in the multi slot is reset. This means you will for example have to start pressing 3 times again if you want to access slot 3 in a multi slot.You can change the timer duration in ESC -> Options -> GUI Options under "Multi-slot Activating Delay"

Cycle- modeYou do not have any timers, you can take your time to select any item in the multi slot. The selection will loop back to the first item in the multi slot if you keep pressing the key. Once you start using a skill/casting a spell the offset will be reset.

Combo modeFunctions like the cycle mode but the offset is not reset by activating a skill/spell, but only when another multi-slot is selected.This allows to create a combo chain where you can cast one spell press the button again and cast the next one.

8. How to use the mousewheel up and down to select weaponsSpoiler (click to show/hide)

The mousewheel is set to scroll through the weapons bar slots by default. At the top right corner of every slot you'll find a little round check box with the tooltip "Ignore Scroll".So if you want to have one weapon bound to mousewheel up or down you simply have to click on those round check boxes for every weapons bar slot except the one you want to select.If you want to use mousewheel up for one slot and mousewheel down for another you use "Ignore Scroll" for all but 2 and then you have to go into ESC -> Options -> GUI Options -> uncheck "Weapons bar scroll loop.

9. How to set up contextual bindings for weaponsSpoiler (click to show/hide)

You want to have a set of keys bound to melee skills when you hold a melee weapon and the same set of keys have spells bound to them when you have a staff in your hand?To achieve this bind a hotbar to a weaponsbar slot. You can do this with the bottom right button on a weaponsbar slot. Next bind a key to the weaponsbar slot. (keys can be bound at: ESC -> Options -> Input Bindings -> Gui -> Gui Weaponsbar Col1-6)Any time you press the key for the weaponsbar slot now it will also change to that hotbar.Do this for your melee weapon and for your staff, rebind the 1-0 keys to any keys that are convenient to you and you got 10 keys that are context based on what weapon you are currently holding.

The goal for it is to have one button with which i can quickly and in all situations cast witches brew and heal self. You can see the setup and the selected options in the picture below. I have both spells in the same multi-slot. witches brew in the first and heal self in the second. I got both spells linked with my staff in the weapons bar. The multi-slot is bound to E and set to autocast so witches brew starts casting as soon as i press either R or double tap R for heal self.picture 3 - self heal button setup

2. Example - Greatsword Whirlwind SetupSpoiler (click to show/hide)

For my Whirlwind skill I also linked the weapons bar slot with my Greatsword in it to the Greatsword Whirlwind skill. This time i not only set it up for autocast but also to switch to this hotbar as I have all the other melee abilities in this hotbar.I can also switch to this hotbar by just selecting the weapons bar slot with my Greatsword in it.picture 4 - GS Whirlwind setup

Some spells/skills have long cooldowns you want to keep an eye on. You can put them all in one hotbar. And you can make that hotbar your default one to use for most of your spells you select with a direct key binding - even when they're not on that hotbar.For me this hotbar is hotbar 2. Most of my damage spells are in hotbar 3 and are bound with direct key bindings. I set all those to "Switch to weapons bar hotbar". The linked weaponsbar slot is set to switch to hotbar 2.

PS: if you did changes to your UI and bindings relog to make sure they are saved up. Darkfall only saves changes to the config files if you properly exit it. If you crash or are disconnected from the server without doing this all your changes aren't saved and reset./gui_persist_save can also be used to save your changes to the config files but I think the devs said you should use this chat command at your own risk.

@nubnax please add a section on "guide to choosing your weapon / play style" . What weapon, at what situation, against armor type, plus pro's and cons. Great Sword was favorite but now Ub3r changed it so other weapon are also desirable.

I wanna double bind my hotkey for magic and melee use but it doesnt work properly. If i have a staff up and press R i get my fireball and other r50 spells ( all placed in cycle positon 1 to 3 in hotbar), when i have a melee weapon up when i press R i want disabling blow (placed in last position under same position in hotbar), but i have to press it 2 times before the skill comes up. When i place disabling blow in first position it comes up when pressing hotkey one time but then my magic spells under same hotkey with staff up requires 2 times clicking before it comes up.

Can i make this work with magic and melee skill in one press withing this new hotbar system, if not i have to go back to a script set up.

Another issue with cycle hotkey function is that when i want to switch between 2 spells i have to press my hotkey 2 times to go to 2nd spell. I want the cycle option to function like a cycle option whould be and that is press hotkey 1 time 1st spell and then cast it press key again and then 2nd spell is selected.

In short how do i get rid of the double clicking to go to next spell in my cycle hotkey without having to go back to scripting.

I wanna double bind my hotkey for magic and melee use but it doesnt work properly. If i have a staff up and press R i get my fireball and other r50 spells ( all placed in cycle positon 1 to 3 in hotbar), when i have a melee weapon up when i press R i want disabling blow (placed in last position under same position in hotbar), but i have to press it 2 times before the skill comes up. When i place disabling blow in first position it comes up when pressing hotkey one time but then my magic spells under same hotkey with staff up requires 2 times clicking before it comes up.

Can i make this work with magic and melee skill in one press withing this new hotbar system, if not i have to go back to a script set up.

Another issue with cycle hotkey function is that when i want to switch between 2 spells i have to press my hotkey 2 times to go to 2nd spell. I want the cycle option to function like a cycle option whould be and that is press hotkey 1 time 1st spell and then cast it press key again and then 2nd spell is selected.

In short how do i get rid of the double clicking to go to next spell in my cycle hotkey without having to go back to scripting.

If I'm understanding what you're asking correctly, on the first issue you dont want the disable under a fireball cycle or vice versa, you actually want them on a different hotbar column, but same row position, that way for example melee on weaponsbar linked to column 1 with disable on row 1, then staff on weaponsbar linked to column 2 with disable on row 1, that way pressing your key for row 1 of current hotbar (default 1 I think) will give you a different selection depending on what hotbar column you're on, and by association what weapon you have out if you use the weaponsbar. Probably a really bad explanation that someone can simplify if you don't get it or they have a simpler way. Look at section 9 of the guide in the first post.

On the second problem, switch from using cycle mode to combo mode. Cycle resets to first position in the cycle after casting, combo lets you continue to the next spell with a single click after casting the first one.

I wanna double bind my hotkey for magic and melee use but it doesnt work properly. If i have a staff up and press R i get my fireball and other r50 spells ( all placed in cycle positon 1 to 3 in hotbar), when i have a melee weapon up when i press R i want disabling blow (placed in last position under same position in hotbar), but i have to press it 2 times before the skill comes up. When i place disabling blow in first position it comes up when pressing hotkey one time but then my magic spells under same hotkey with staff up requires 2 times clicking before it comes up.

Can i make this work with magic and melee skill in one press withing this new hotbar system, if not i have to go back to a script set up.

Another issue with cycle hotkey function is that when i want to switch between 2 spells i have to press my hotkey 2 times to go to 2nd spell. I want the cycle option to function like a cycle option whould be and that is press hotkey 1 time 1st spell and then cast it press key again and then 2nd spell is selected.

In short how do i get rid of the double clicking to go to next spell in my cycle hotkey without having to go back to scripting.

If I'm understanding what you're asking correctly, on the first issue you dont want the disable under a fireball cycle or vice versa, you actually want them on a different hotbar column, but same row position, that way for example melee on weaponsbar linked to column 1 with disable on row 1, then staff on weaponsbar linked to column 2 with disable on row 1, that way pressing your key for row 1 of current hotbar (default 1 I think) will give you a different selection depending on what hotbar column you're on, and by association what weapon you have out if you use the weaponsbar. Probably a really bad explanation that someone can simplify if you don't get it or they have a simpler way. Look at section 9 of the guide in the first post.

On the second problem, switch from using cycle mode to combo mode. Cycle resets to first position in the cycle after casting, combo lets you continue to the next spell with a single click after casting the first one.

I understand the combo thing i missed that gonna try that out thx. Edit: Does not change a thing i keep having to double tap to go to next spell or skill or get the double bind (melee skill and magic spell to work) If this isnt a ingame option then i hope DND devs change the double tap to a single tap.

I dont understand what you mean about having melee and magic under one hotkey and if i understand then i maybe cant get it to work like i want it 2. In old DFO my binds and scripts set up was so that on R i had rays and disabling F r50 spells and power attack C for aoe and knock back melee. I dont use hotbar switches since that creates a delay, i always have the same hotbar in front of me all the time. If i do understand what you said then you suggest using hotbarswitches and pressing the numbers on my keyboard to select a spell or skill. I want to avoid using such a set up at all times in any game i play for very obvious reasons. I dont want too much movement in my left hand, it can mess up my aim, using the 12345 keys means my left hand has to keep in touch with the W key for keep going forward and shift for running and then click 1, thats bad for my hands plus it can mess up my aim. Using R F and C for most used spells and skills makes sure my hand stays more or less in the same position. I gonna keep trying and finding a solution for this with ingame hotbar system otherwise i have to go back to using scripts, i dont want to mess up my hands or arms while playing a game so the less movement the better.